My 33weeker is 1 today - mixed emotions

[MrsP23]

my ds was born at 33+3 and he is one today which is great but I can't help but feel a bit emotional/sad that it shouldn't be his birthday yet and it is bringing all the painful memories of the birth, NICU, being in hospital and being away from my dd and dh all back to me.

Just wondered if anyone else had mixed emotions like this with their preemies

[plentyofshoes]

Yes very much so. I think it is a very normal reaction, but it gets easier each year.

[GinGinGin]

Yep, my dd is 2 and I've felt like that for her last 2 birthdays. It's tough as I feel like I should be really happy, but all I want to do is cry!

[BigTroubleinSmallBoots]

Yep, me too. Happy, sad, up and down on my DDs birthday. Hopefully it gets better with time. (She's 2 now).

[Nothingtodowithme]

My 33 weekend is nearly 2 and I am starting to feel cross again about him being born early.

[MrsP23]

Thanks for the replies ladies. I'm pleased I'm not the only one to feel this way. I think because I was never given a reason or explanation as to why he was born early I feel as though things were unresolved and I'm forever worrying about him thinking has his prematurity effected him. Hopefully it will get easier with time

[AbbeyRoadCrossing]

I was wondering this. I have DS's first birthday coming up and people have asked what we're doing for it. I feel emotional just thinking about it and it hasn't even happened yet! We'll do something quiet, tea and cake type thing with immediate family, as it's not like he'll remember anyway.

[Breakfastattiffanys2014]

My DD birthday is approaching and I'm anxious about feeling this way too. If I'm honest I still have down days when I get very upset about it all and think dd birthday is going to be very emotional for me. I'm just going to try and concentrate on making it a very special day for her and think of how far she's come in the last year

[HexagonalBattenburg]

Took me a good few years to shift that feeling with DD1 who was a 33 weeker. Can honestly say now though that we had her 7th birthday party yesterday and I didn't think about it at all this time around (she's too effing stroppy to give me time to think about it these days!)

Sounds horrid - but it's a rough couple of years and then they're so demanding and interactive (and drop naps) and you don't get the time to dwell as much and it heals much more.